Kamen Rider Chrono

Chapter 3: Zodiac

Last time on Kamen Rider Chrono: Kibou Kitai was saved by the Chrono AI, and had to return the AI to HOME (Humanities Only Monster Exterminators) base, where they told him that if he used Kamen Rider Chrono it would put his health at risk. His return to a normal life only lasted a couple hours since the Rabbit Monster returned to attack Seven Sisters. The new user of Chrono proved incapable of fighting it off, prompting AI and Kibou to form Chrono again, risking his life to save people.

Kibou pulled into the parking lot of HOME and rested against the handles of his bike. It was just about now that he realized just how fast everything had unfolded for him. Just the other day his biggest concern was acing a history exam, and now he was going to ask a strange company to let him become a superhero to fight monsters. That wasn't the scariest part for him though.

AI: "It's just sinking in, isn't it?"

Kibou: "Huh?"

AI: "You and I are bonded right now, which means I experience everything you do. Right now you're asking yourself if you can really go through with this, right?"

Kibou: "Yeah... It didn't really click that... This was all real. That I'd be risking my life to save others."

AI: "Does that mean you DON'T want to help people?"

Kibou: "God no! It's just... The lives of others would fall upon me, and one mess up..."

AI: "You can't be thinking like that. If you're too worried about screwing up, then it'd happen for sure."

Kibou stayed silent and watched the clouds roll by. AI spoke up and told him that he could still turn back. Just hand the rabbit coin to him and he'd take care of the rest. Kibou rolled the coin between his fingers before flicking it into the air and catching it. 

AI: "You've already done a good job if that helps. Not anybody could defeat the Rabbit Zodiac like you did."

Kibou: "Rabbit Zodiac?"

AI: "The monster. I'm sure they'll tell you more if you DO become Kamen Rider Chrono."

Kibou: "So there are more like that thing?"

AI: "Twelve to be exact."

Kibou: "So eleven more things like those are out there...? Alright, I'll become Chrono."

AI: "You sure? Step through the front door and no changing your mind."

Kibou: "I'm not one-hundred percent sure, but what I am sure about is that I want to help people. This will let me do that."

AI: "Whatever, get going."

Kibou nodded and jogged towards the door, resting his palm on the scanner and rushing inside, giving the receptionist a quick greeting. He made his way down the steps and to the furthest door of the corridor. He slowed down as he got closer and started to twirl his black hair with an index finger.

AI: "That your tell?"

Kibou: "Hm?"

AI: "When your nervous, that's your tell?"

Kibou: "Ah, yeah."

AI stopped talking and closed his imaginary eyes. It was the same tell Colt had. He scoffed as he thought about how similar the two were, bright-eyed people who wanted to help others even at the cost of their own lives, pretty much the only difference was the age gap.

Kibou pressed the button off to the right and the door slid open to reveal Connor asleep at his desk and Mercy typing away at her computer. He stepped inside and the door closed behind him. AI flew out of him and took a perch near Mercy.